Are You A Teen Struggling With The Pressures Of Growing Up?
When you’re making the big transition into adulthood, it can feel like life is changing every day. Being a teenager can be tough. Between homework, activities, chores, and friends, it's easy to feel overwhelmed and unsure of yourself.
I'm here to help.
What is your experience?
Maybe you worry a lot about everyday things.
It's hard to turn off those thoughts and calm down when you're feeling stressed and anxious.
It's possible you often compare yourself to others. If you don’t feel confident in your appearance or abilities, you might feel anxious about being your true self. And seeing everyone else's perfect-looking lives on social media could be making you feel bad about yourself.
When you don’t feel comfortable in your own skin, managing stress and tough emotions can be difficult. Maybe you get really upset and often feel like nobody understands you. It's normal to have fights with family and friends sometimes.
It seems as though a pressure to be perfect exists all around you, but no matter what you do, you struggle to feel like anything you do is ever good enough. As your therapist, I can help you manage the tough feelings and challenges that sometimes come with being a teen.
Are You The Parent Of A Teen Experiencing Mental Health Challenges?
If you’re the parent of a teen who exhibits symptoms of anxiety—including perfectionism and incessant worry—you may be worried that their stress levels have become too much to manage. Specifically, if they complain of physical discomfort that impacts their ability to relax and/or participate in activities, you are likely concerned that their symptoms are impossible to manage on their own.
A therapist can help your teen develop the coping skills they need to feel confident and successful in life. Therapy for teens can target a range of mental health issues, including:
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Anxiety
Depression
Perfectionism
Bullying
Body image issues and low self-esteem
School-related challenges
Relationship issues (including dating and conflict with friends or family)
Counseling offers your teen strategies for stress management, emotion regulation, and fostering self-care.
Counseling offers your teen strategies for stress management, emotion regulation, and fostering self-care.
Why Do So Many Teens Struggle With Their Mental Health?
A lot of mental health issues start in your teenage years. In fact, it’s estimated that nearly one-third of teens will develop an anxiety disorder.
Although things like genetics and brain chemistry can play a role in anxiety, there are also external stressors that can affect your self-esteem as a teen. As if physical changes weren't enough, there are academic pressures and social expectations, especially when it comes to social media. And even though there are useful self-care tips on Instagram and TikTok, working with a teen therapist can actually make a meaningful, lasting difference.
As someone who gets to know my clients on a deep, personal level, I help teens understand their feelings and how to cope with them.
Therapy For Teens At Therapy Her Way
With everything teens have to get done, it’s easy to feel like there is not enough time to just be. Counseling is your time to process alongside someone who’s on your side. Working together in therapy for teens, you can learn to calm down, manage anxiety, and build confidence.
What to expect
Before we begin, both the teen client and their parent(s) are welcome to schedule introductory calls with me to get a sense of what therapy will be like. This is an opportunity to ask questions and decide whether I’ll be a good match. During our first session, parents/guardians will attend for the first 15 minutes to go over expectations, policies, and confidentiality.
After that, counseling places you, the teen client, in the driver’s seat. I will get a sense of your symptoms and help you understand how they affect you. As you learn more about your patterns, you will be able to identify common triggers. With this knowledge, you can change your response and begin to do things differently.
When you're anxious, your thoughts and feelings can get jumbled up, but a therapist can help put the puzzle pieces together and see that there is nothing “wrong” with you. Instead of feeling like you'll be stuck in a cycle of worry and self-doubt forever, you can develop lifelong skills for coping with the hard stuff.
Working together in therapy for teens, you can create the peaceful, harmonious future you want for yourself.
You May Have Questions About Whether Counseling For Teens Is Right For You…
Will you tell my parents everything we talk about in therapy??
As a general rule, I keep the information you share confidential. After the introductory call, I will only talk with your parents when you are also there. It’s so important to me that you know you can trust me; I will not share what you say to me in session with your parents.
However, there are some important exceptions. If someone has hurt you, or if you express a desire to hurt yourself or others, I will need to tell your parents. But we will always have a conversation beforehand to make sure you feel safe and supported.
The counseling process is designed to place you at the center of it. In therapy for teens, you are my client—not your parent(s).
Are you comfortable working with teens in therapy?
Yes! I have worked with a lot of teens in counseling. Don’t worry—I’m tech-savvy, and I promise you won’t have to explain what Snapchat or a private story is.
How do I tell my parents that I want to see a teen therapist?
If you’re a teen minor (18 and under), it’s required in most states to get your parents’ consent to begin therapy. Even though it might feel intimidating, it's okay to want to get mental health support.
Not sure how to talk to your parents about counseling? Here are a few tips I offer teen clients:
Choose a time to talk when you and your parents aren't busy, distracted, or stressed. Ask to talk to them somewhere private, and don’t procrastinate! It’s always better to rip the Band-Aid off and have the conversation sooner rather than later.
Explain to them what is going on by using “I” statements. For example, “I realized I’ve been feeling _______ lately, and it’s making it difficult for me to _________.” Try not to blame your parents, even if they're part of the problem.
Ask for help explicitly. For example, “I want to see a therapist to help me _________.”
Don’t be afraid to reinforce your point, especially if it feels like your issues are being overly normalized or minimized.
If it doesn’t go well, don’t be afraid to try again by scheduling a time to follow up or including a trusted teacher, guidance counselor, or extended family member in the next conversation.
You can talk to your parents about this in person, on the phone, or through text or email. You can even show them this page to start the conversation.
As A Teen Therapist, I’m In Your Corner
Through therapy, I have helped teens in Florida, New York, and New Jersey manage their mental health and set themselves up for success. To find out more about my approach to counseling for teens